Celtics have 6th and 17th picks in NBA draft as rebuilding project moves along

FILE - In this March 23, 2014 file photo, Arizona forward Aaron Gordon dunks a basket against Gonzaga during the first half of a third-round game in the NCAA college basketball tournament in San Diego. Gordon is a possible pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, Thursday, June 26, 2014 in New York. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) (The Associated Press)

prev

Image 2 of 2

FILE - In this Feb. 22, 2014 file photo, Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart (33) goes up for a dunk in front of Texas Tech forward Jordan Tolbert (32) in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Stillwater, Okla. Smart is a possible pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, Thursday, June 26, 2014 in New York.(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File) (The Associated Press)

BOSTON – Danny Ainge stockpiled draft choices for his major rebuilding project with the Boston Celtics.

Now the team's president of basketball operations gets to start using them.

The Celtics have 10 first-round picks in the next five drafts. That starts with two choices Thursday night when they pick sixth and 17th.

Arizona forward Aaron Gordon and Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart should be available for the Celtics' first pick with a slim possibility that Kansas center Joel Embiid will drop that far following foot surgery that is expected to sideline him four to six months.

The 6-foot-3, 227-pound Smart averaged 18 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists as a sophomore last season. The 6-foot-9, 220-pound Gordon averaged 12.4 points, eight rebounds and two assists as a freshman.